The Mount Holly Community Relief Organization has helped feed families and keep power on to houses and apartments for nearly 60 years.

Now the local nonprofit needs a hand up with its home.

The organization needs to raise between $30,000 and $40,000 to buy a new building. And organizers have one specific place in mind.

Currently a beauty salon, the three-story building sits on Spring Street, between the Food Lion and the ABC Store in Mount Holly.

The CRO is looking to buy the property for $155,000.

“It’s in a good location. It has adequate parking which is something we’ve always had problems with,” said Executive Director Alice Bayne. “It’s in a safe area, and it has the space that we will need.”

If the sale goes through, Bayne said the first floor would be used for an office, lobby and food bank. The second floor would serve as the organization’s clothing closet, and the third floor would provide storage.

Built in 2004, the building would require virtually no upgrades, said Bayne.

For more than a year, the CRO has operated out of the basement of the former City Hall along Main Street in Mount Holly.

The space was offered by the city for free after flood waters forced the CRO out of its home on Central Avenue.

In August 2011, flashfloods rushed into the CRO trapping people inside.

Firefighters had to rescue at least two people from the facility.

There was too much damage to recover from the storm, said Bayne.

“It needed way too much work,” she said. “There was way too much for the CRO to take on. Not to mention it would take way too long, and we had people we needed to help.”

The CRO moved out of its home of more than 10 years and took up residency in the basement of the old City Hall.

The organization owned and later sold the Central Avenue location.

The $39,000 from the sale helped boost the bank of money aimed at finding a new home, said Bayne.

According to Bayne, the organization is in line to get a mortgage loan to buy the property. But she’s concerned the group will struggle to make a mortgage payment.

“We just don’t want to have to take one on,” she said. “We don’t in any way want to take away from the people and services.”

During its last fiscal year, the CRO provided assistance to 1,136 adults with money for electricity, natural gas and rent.

Each client is allowed $200 a year. The organization also gives out about 10,000 pounds of food a month.

The tax value of the Springs Road property is $141,970, according to county tax records.

Page 2 of 2 - An appraisal is scheduled for this week, said Bayne.

Bayne said she and the CRO board see the property as a great opportunity. And she hopes the community will step up as it has for decades.

“Money is trickling in every day. It’s not that we’re not getting any, but we could really use a shot in the arm, quickly,” Bayne said.

You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and twitter.com/GazetteDiane.